S.African bowler Wayne Parnell converts to Islam

South African fast bowler Wayne Parnell in a statement on Thursday announced his conversion to Islam from Christianity, Times of India reported on Friday.

He has also changed his named to Waleed after his conversion to Islam earlier in January this year.

Parnell confirmed in the statement that he has been studying about Islam and will celebrate his 22nd birthday as a Muslim on Friday.

Parnell said:

â€œWhile I have not yet decided on an Islamic name I have considered the name Waleed which means Newborn Son, but for now my name remains Wayne Dillon Parnell. I will continue to respect the teamâ€™s endorsement of alcoholic beverages. I am playing cricket in Sussex and this is my immediate focus.â€

The South African cricket team manager, a Muslim by faith, Mohamed Moosajee said that Parnellâ€™s Muslim teammates â€“ Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir â€“ did not influence his decision to convert from Christianity.

Moosajee said:

â€œWayne already decided a few months ago to follow Islam. The decision to convert was his own decision, but I know nothing of the name change.â€

Parnellâ€™s fellow players, reportedly said they believed that he is very serious about the conversion and had not â€˜touched a drop of alcoholâ€™ ever since he converted to Islam.

He is the second Christian cricketer to have converted to Islam after Pakistanâ€™s Yousuf Yohana (now Mohammad Yousuf) in 2006.

I don't think this "news" would have made "news" if he had converted to any other religion but Islam.

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I think when he calls the press and announces his conversion then the press does cover it, when Julia Roberts announced that she was an Hindu the press covered that as well. If people convert and dont speak of it then it would be unusual for the press to make it a news but when people yell out their new faith then there no point in simply blaming the media for reporting stuff.

I think when he calls the press and announces his conversion then the press does cover it, when Julia Roberts announced that she was an Hindu the press covered that as well. If people convert and dont speak of it then it would be unusual for the press to make it a news but when people yell out their new faith then there no point in simply blaming the media for reporting stuff.

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Thats because even converting to hinduism is looked down upon among conservative christians.

Standard???. Calling pakistan a begger is banned in DFI ,posting Islam relating article is banned or are considered low standard. what we supposed to do become MESSIAH like u. is that sufficient to raise the standard???

it was just a news I posted, its your dirty and rotten mind is low standard. Keeping name messiah does not make u one..

Standard???. Calling pakistan a begger is banned in DFI ,posting Islam relating article is banned or are considered low standard. what we supposed to do become MESSIAH like u. is that sufficient to raise the standard???

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You know very well what you are doing i.e claiming that all muslims have beards.

ofcourse you can bash pakistan all you want...come to sb and we'll sing death to pakistan together but stop posting same thing in every thread.

You know very well what you are doing i.e claiming that all muslims have beards.

ofcourse you can bash pakistan all you want...come to sb and we'll sing death to pakistan together but stop posting same thing in every thread.

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Where did i say all muslim have beard. Iam showing u truth that cricket players who become Muslims or got radicalized (inzy)got beard. proof are the pictures. u will see parnell in 2 months will have long beard, i have no problem with that it my guess work,

Where did i say all muslim have beard. Iam showing u truth that cricket players who become Muslims or got radicalized (inzy)got beard. proof are the pictures. u will see parnell in 2 months will have long beard, i have no problem with that it my guess work,

How this make u feel that u r Messsiah or I insult Islam ??

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It is not about islam it is about generalizations be it for anything.

why doesn't entire pak and bangladesh teams have beards ? and those that keep beards aren't radicalized but have merely become conservative and there's a difference between the two.